Chapter 1, Disappearance Summary and Analysis

The Dreams of Ada by Robert Mayer is the true story of Tommy Ward and Karl Fontenot. Ward was questioned for more than five hours in the disappearance of Donna Denice Haraway, finally confessing to her rape and murder. However, it was later revealed that Ward's confession was full of holes and was based on a dream he had. The police charged Ward anyway and his friend, Karl Fontenot, who also confessed to the murder. Ward and Fontenot spend more than ten months in jail before being convicted, without a body or murder weapon. Four months later, the body of Denice Haraway was found on the same day Ward and Fontenot had been scheduled to die before their stays were granted. Dreams of Ada is a book of mystery, of foolishness, and of justice gone wrong.